Improvement in gas-furnaces for manufacturing iron and steel



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W; S. GILLEN. Gas-Furnaces-for Manufacturing Iron and Steel.

No.155,57?, Patented 0.ct.6,1874

r I J WITNESSES YNVIENTOR WM J m WE GIAPHIC CD PNOTD'LITHJQ It}! PARKPLADEJLY.

W I I 'By zff y %flttomeys UNI'IED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

WILLIAM S. GILLEN, OF PlTTSB-URG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN GAS-FURNACES FOR MANUFACTURING IRON AND STEEL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 155,577, dated October6, 1874; application filed l July 30, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. GILLEN, of the city of Pittsburg, andcounty of Allegheny, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Gas-Furnaces for Manufacturing Iron and Steel,of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates primarily to the economical use of hydrocarbonoil or gas as fuel in metallurgic furnaces. It relates further to meansfor applying the flame and preventing wasteful escape, and forfacilitating the separation and discharge of dross, as hereinafter setforth.

The invention is embodied in a simple puddling-furnace of peculiarconstruction.

The gas or oil is fed to a burner of peculiar construction, thedischarge being regulated by means of a register-slide or valve. Thesupply of air to support combustion is regulated in a similar manner.The arch of thefurnace is longitudinal instead of transverse, and air isadmitted beneath the arch through perforated pipes, so as to throw theflame downward upon the metal. The dross is discharged at the rear endof the hearth, and means for readily withdrawing the same is provided.Gold-air inlets, in the wall of the furnace and in the stack, produce aneddy within the latter, so as to prevent the escape of flame. Aninverted funnel within the stack betweenthe air-inlets receives theflame thus stopped, and a pipe leading from the said funnel c011- ductsthe flame or the heat thereof into the furnace at or about the center ofthe arch.

In. the accompanying.drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of animproved puddling-furnace illustrating this invention. Fig. 2 is avertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontalsection on the line 33, Fig. 2.

The walls and other parts of this furnace not hereinafter specified maybe of any common or preferred construction.

Hydrocarbon gas or oil from any source, and treated in such manneras maybe necessary or preferred, is conducted by a pipe, 3, to a burner, B, inwhat is termed the front end of the furnace. The burner B is constructedwith a large circular head, 8, having cylindrical walls, which areperforated for the escape of the gas or oil, the same being so arrangedas to properly distribute the flame. A register-slide or valve, r,perforated correspondingly with the burner proper, regulates thedischarge of gas or oil, and is operated by means of a handle-rod, q,extending out through the front of the furnace, and attached to an arm,1), of the valve. A lug, 0, prevents any displacement of the valve. Thefront of the furnace is provided with a grating, n, for the admission ofair to support combustion. A slide, on, covers more or less of thisgrating, as required to regulate the admission of air. The hearth l ofany approved form is constructed within the furnace immediately behindand below the level of the burner, and this receives the charge ofmetal. Above the hearth an arch, k, is constructed, and this is formedlongitudinally of the furnace instead of transversely, so as moreperfectly to reflect the heat back upon the molten metal. Beneath thisarch one or more transverse pipes, j, perforated in their under sidesextend transversely of the furnace, and receive atmospheric air at oneor both ends. The air from these pipes, striking downward, throws theflame upon the metal, and increases its effect, besides assisting in thecombustion of the gases which are formed within the furnace. At the rearend of the hearth 6 an opening, i, is formed for the discharge of dross,which, owing to the arrangements of the hearth and arch, boils over atthis point. The dross is received on an incline, h, at'the bottom ofwhich a door, {1, is provided in the furnace-wall for withdrawing thedross. The stack f extends from the rear end of the furnace, and isprovided at about midheight with a door or valve, 0, for the admissionof cold air. A second door, a, for the same purpose is formed in therear wall of the furnace immediately beneath the throat of the stack. Aneddy is formed in the stack by opening these doors, and the'escape ofany fiam'ewhich may enter the stack is thereby prevented. An invertedfunnel, (1, within the stack, below the upper air-door 0, receives thearrested flame. A pipe, 4, extending from this funnel into the top ofthe furnace, at or about a the center of the arch 7c, conducts the flameor highly-heated gases and air from the funnel 01 into the fire-space ofthe furnace, where they are again used. The orstack to regulate thedraft. Doors 1) b in the side of the furnace give access to the burnerand hearth.

The improved burner provides for regulatin g the discharge of gas or oilwith the greatest nicety; also to spread out the flame horizontally overthe surface of metal.

The improved furnace as a whole operates to economize heat and tofacilitate the puddling operation.

The following is claimed as new in this invention, namely:

1. As means for burning hydrocarbon gas or oil in a metallurgic furnace,the burner B having a large circular head, 8, with lateraldischarge-orifices for distributing the gas or oil, and acircumferential register slide or valve, r, for regulating thedischarge, as set forth.

2. The combination, in a paddling-furnace, of a grated or perforatedfront wall, n, furnished with a slide, m, for regulating the entrance ofair, and the burner B supplied with heated gas or oil, arranged withreference to the hearth, as herein shown and described, for the purposesset forth.

3. A puddliug-furnace provided with two air-inlets, 6 6 arranged,respectively, in the,

' as herein shown and described, to operate in the manner set forth forarresting the flame within the stack and conducting the unconsumed gasesback into the furnace.

-In testilnon y of which invention I hereunto set my hand this 14th dayof July, 1874.

- WILLIAM S. GILLEN.

Witnesses: J AS. L. EWIN, WALTER ALLEN.

